Their Last Dance
by Treehilldreams
Summary: She's determined to protect herself from heartbreak this time around. The solution is simple, yet not at all easy. Give him up. She knows that she can do it. She refuses to be dragged back into that endless love triangle again.


I wrote this as an entry to a fanfic challenge on the boards. It was completely spur of the moment- I rushed through writing it in an attempt to get it in by the challenge's deadline! Now that I've had more time, I fixed it up a bit and added some things. It's a oneshot based on the song, "Dancing," by Elisa. I stole a scene from the season 3 finale for this, but I tried to create a much deeper and meaningful outlook to it. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I dont own oth.

**"Their Last Dance"**

She wishes that she could go back in time, back to a place where she knew nothing of love or heartbreak. But of course, wishes never seem to come true- at least not for her. The dark storm that's headed her way is already visible, and she knows what's about to happen. It's strange that the same situation can occur not once, but twice in the short span of two years. She sighs deeply and closes her eyes, hoping to escape the chaos that has become her life. In the back of her mind, the question her best friend asked her earlier is still there, taunting her in every way possible.

_Do you love him?_

She doesn't want to answer that question, in fact, she doesn't even want to consider it. It's obvious, after all, that whether or not she loves him isn't even a factor anymore. For the first time in her life, Brooke Davis has decided to give up. Giving up has never been her style, she's more the type that fights relentlessly for what she wants, and doesn't stop until she gets it. But after experiencing the turmoil that walks hand in hand with a broken heart, she's suddenly no longer up for the challenge of fighting back. The thing that she's been fearing the most has finally proved to be inevitable.

_"Brooke, I think I still have feelings for Lucas," Peyton said, choking back her tears as she spoke._

_For a moment she thinks the worst, but she immediately reasurres herself. This can't be happening, not again. She forces herself to believe in the value of her friendship with Peyton Sawyer, to believe that her best friend wouldn't betray her a second time._

_"You mean you care for him as a friend?" she offers, begging for Peyton to agree with her._

_But the teary-eyed girl sitting before her shakes her head and says, "No. I mean more than that."_

_And just like that, everything seems to fall apart._

She's determined to protect herself from heartbreak this time around. The solution is simple, yet not at all easy: Give him up. She knows that she can do it, because the alternative proves to be much worse. She refuses to be dragged back into that endless love triangle, because she knows that she'll still be forced to give him up in the end even if she trys to fight for him. He'll leave her the second he finds that Peyton is still in love with him. She's already lost him once to her best friend. Having it happen again shouldn't be much of a shock.

As she opens her eyes again, the images of the wedding tent return, and her attempt to escape her chaotic life slowly diminishes. She finds it ironic that they're here for a wedding, a celebration of love. How can she celebrate for Nathan and Haley's love, when her own love with her boyfriend is slowly falling apart? Although she's happy for her two friends, a part of her wishes that this day could just be over with. She's managed to fight with both her best friend and boyfriend today, much to her displeasure. Her fight with Lucas had been over Peyton; they rarely fought about much else. He'd just so happened to spill that he shared a kiss with Peyton on the day of the school shooting, but attempted to assure Brooke that the kiss meant nothing. If she told him that Peyton was in love with him, maybe he'd think differently of the meaningless kiss. She was angry with Lucas, and her anger made it easier for her to make the decision to abandon their relationship. But she wasn't angry with Peyton. She was dissapointed. It was unfathomable to her that Peyton managed to screw up the second chance she had given her. For some reason, Brooke couldn't find the utter hatred she felt for Peyton when she first went behind her back with Lucas. It was almost like she was expecting it this time around, as if she'd been bracing herself for this betrayal during her and Lucas's entire relationship.

She was stirred from her thoughts as he came up to stand beside her, and it kills her to be in his presence. How can she stand to be near him, when she knows he won't be hers for much longer? She can feel his gaze lock on her face, and for a moment she considers just ignoring him as if he weren't there. But she thinks better of herself, and turns to look into those enchanting blue eyes.

He looks perfectly handsome, as always, with his distinguished tuxedo and gleaming black dress shoes. It puzzles her, because she can't understand how someone that seems so perfect can hurt her so easily.

"So I guess we never finished that conversation," he says. There's a hint of defeat in his eyes, as if the fight they had minutes before has worn him out. She can tell that he's been brooding, as usual. A part of her wants to just wipe that brooding gaze right off his face and to tell them that he's worrying over nothing. After all, his worries are upholding a lost cause- she's about to break it off anyway.

He looks at her intently, and she finally realizes that he's spoken and she's supposed to respond. She considers this for a second and then remembers what he had said. It was something about their fight, but she already said everything she had to say, and a part of her doesn't ever want to talk about it again. She just wants to forget everything, and fall freely into his arms again as if nothing has happened. And for a moment, she decides to do just that.

She quickly dismisses his thoughts of their fight with a shrug of her shoulders and a gentle pull on his hand. "Dance with me," she says in that raspy voice that she knows he cannot resist.

He takes her hand and allows her to lead them onto the dance floor. Their bodies easily join together, and she securely tucks her head under his chin. They begin to sway back and fourth with the music, and she lets her eyes flutter until they close. Her hands are clinging to his chest, and her fingers brush against the white rose that's pinned to his suit jacket. It's heavenly scent finds its way to her, and she feels herself relax in his arms.

_**So I put my arms around you around you  
And I know that I'll be leaving soon**_

She knows that they won't be together much longer, and she wonders for a moment if he'll miss her. But she obviously can't ask him if he'll miss her when she breaks up with him, so instead she words the question differently, hoping to find some comfort in his answer.

"Did you miss me while you were away?" she asks, lifting her face from his chest to look into his eyes.

"Every day," he immediately answers.

_**My eyes are on you they're on you  
And you see that I can't stop shaking  
No, I won't step back but I'll look down to hide from your eyes  
'cause what I feel is so sweet and I'm scared that even my own breath  
Oh could burst it if it were a bubble  
And I'd better dream if I have to struggle**_

He breaks away from her gaze by looking down, and continues, "I was just angry and upset about Keith and I just wanted to be alone, but that doesn't mean that I didn't miss you Brooke. Because I did."

He seems so sincere in his answer, and it causes her to doubt her plan to give up on their relationship. Maybe they could still be together, maybe Peyton wouldn't matter this time around. Maybe, just maybe, he won't hurt her like he did before. Could it be that what she's planning to do is wrong?

_**So I put my arms around you around you  
And I hope that I will do no wrong  
My eyes are on you they're on you  
And I hope that you won't hurt me**_

"I needed to hear your voice. There's just so much stuff going on with me and..." but her voice breaks as she speaks, and she's unable to go on.

His blue eyes fill with concern, and he asks, "What kind of stuff?"

She pauses, not knowing what to say or how to explain to him about what's been happening. How can she tell him that she just can't bare to be with him anymore, and that Peyton loves him again? His awaiting eyes bore a hole into her soul, and she decides not to tell him just yet. She could put that off for another day, another time. Right now, she was content to let nothing else exist but the boy she was dancing with and the steady lull of the music.

His question is easily dodged as she plants her lips on his. It's not a forceful kiss, nor is it a kiss filled with lust or desire. It's a kiss of love, and for her, it's probably the last meaningful kiss with him she'll every have. His hands caress the bare skin of her back, pulling her further into the inviting warmth of his body. Time seems to have stopped, as if somewhere someone is allowing them to be swept away in their moment of passion. In the back of her mind, the memories of every kiss they've shared throughout their relationship passes before her eyes.

The first time they kissed. It took place in the back alley of a bar- quite the romantic spot.

Then there's the time they kissed in his bedroom before she left for California. It was an unexpected kiss, but still it was important enough for her to remember it.

The kiss they shared in the rain. The kiss where he _promised _her that his heart was with her this time around, and not with Peyton. He promised that he loved her because she kinks her eyebrow when she's trying to be cute. Because she quotes Keimoo, even though he's never actually seen her read. And because she misses her parents, but she'll never ever admit that. So much for that promise.

Then she see's him sitting next to her at the edge of her bed, her box of 82 letters she's written him in his lap. He's saying that he won't hurt her again, and as he says this he kisses her slowly, as if to clarify his determination to stick to his promise. A promise that was so easily broken.

She struggles to keep the visual of them inside her for just a few seconds longer, because she knows that pretty soon she'll have to say good-bye to all of them. She knows that pretty soon, these images of the kisses shared with Lucas will be replaced with ones of him and Peyton together.

_**I'm dancing in the room as if I was in the woods with you  
No need for anything but music**_

Finally, she breaks away from him for pure lack of air. Her eyes are still sealed shut, but she can feel his lips hovering close to her own, and his breath plays across her smooth skin. She considers kissing him again, and she leans into his lips, but at the last second she discourages herself of the thought. If she kept kissing him like that, she'd never be able to stop. And somewhere along the line, she had to stop, she had to give him up. He'd only hurt her again if she didn't, and that would be something that she wouldn't be able to handle. She didn't want to wait around and watch him choose her best friend over her again. She was going to end it before it got that far.

She denied the temptation to kiss him once more, and instead rested her head against his chest. Her red dress swayed with her as she slowly danced with him, and once again the world evaporated into nothingness. The only thing that existed was a world with just the two of them, as they danced their last dance. There were no problems, no threats to their relationship, and most of all, there was no heartbreak.

Yet, there was a sudden noise that made it's way into her soul. With her head still lain upon his chest, she found that it was the music of his beating heart- a gentle reminder that everything still existed.

_**Music's the reason why I know time still exists  
Time still exists  
Time still exists  
Time still exists**_

_**

* * *

**_

Thanks for reading!


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